Direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine with injection device arranged in the cylinder liner, and method for operating an internal combustion engine of said type

ABSTRACT

A method for operating a fuel injection system is provided. The method includes injecting fuel from a first direct fuel injection device arranged in a cylinder liner in a cylinder block into a combustion chamber and injecting fuel from a second direct fuel injection device arranged in a cylinder head into the combustion chamber, the first and second direct fuel injection devices arranged at an obtuse angle with regard to an intersection of central axes of the first and second direct fuel injection devices.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to German Patent Application No.102016212951.1, filed on Jul. 15, 2016. The entire contents of theabove-referenced application are hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety for all purposes.

FIELD

The present description relates generally to methods and systems for adirect-injection internal combustion engine.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY

According to the prior art, use is made of injection devices whoseinjection jets exhibit a reduced or small penetration depth into thecombustion chamber. In practice, it has however been found that, despitea reduced penetration depth, the combustion chamber internal walls arewetted with fuel, specifically even if the injection jets do notdirectly strike the combustion chamber internal walls. Charge movementin the combustion chamber may be the cause of this is non-evaporatedliquid fuel that, in the form of fuel droplets, is transported to thecombustion chamber internal walls, and wets these.

The prior art has also disclosed concepts in which the cylinders of theinternal combustion engine are each equipped with an injection nozzle inthe region of the cylinder liner. The injection nozzle of a cylinder isin this case oriented toward the cylinder head and in some cases towardthe outlet valve of the cylinder. This feature is intended to assist andaccelerate the evaporation of the fuel particles or fuel droplets andthus the mixture formation. At the same time, the head and the closedoutlet valve are cooled by way of fuel. It is also sought in fuelinjection systems to reduce pollutant emissions. It is also possible fortwo injection nozzles to be provided in the region of the cylinderliner, whereby it is sought to further increase mixing of the air-fuelmixture. U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,301 describes such an internal combustionengine.

A disadvantage of the injection method described in U.S. Pat. No.5,421,301, and generally of internal combustion engines whose cylindersare equipped with an injection device in the region of the cylinderliner, is that an injection can be performed only when thecylinder-specific piston, on its path toward bottom dead center, haspassed the injection device and makes the combustion chamber accessibleto the openings of the injection device. The crank angle window, inwhich an injection can be performed, is thus restricted. This is all themore relevant because, in the case of a direct injection, it isinherently already the case that very little time is available for themixture formation.

An injection nozzle which is oriented toward the cylinder head, asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,301, supplies fuel only to thecylinder-head-side region of the combustion chamber during the course ofthe injection process, whereas the region of the combustion chamberbetween the injection device and bottom dead center, that is to say thepiston-side region of the combustion chamber, remains disregarded duringthe injection.

Against the background of that stated above and recognizing theaforementioned problems the inventors have developed a method foroperating a fuel injection system to resolve at least some of theproblems. In one example, the method includes injecting fuel from afirst direct fuel injection device arranged in a cylinder liner in acylinder block into a combustion chamber and injecting fuel from asecond direct fuel injection device arranged in a cylinder head into thecombustion chamber, the first and second direct fuel injection devicesarranged at an obtuse angle with regard to an intersection of centralaxes of the first and second direct fuel injection devices. Injectingfuel into combustion chamber with injection devices arranged at anobtuse angle with regard to one another enables the fuel jets interactwith one another to increase air-fuel mixing and decrease wall wettingwithin the combustion chamber. Consequently, combustion efficiency isincreased and emissions are correspondingly reduced. In one example, thefirst direct fuel injection device may be positioned on an exhaust sideof the combustion chamber in the cylinder liner and the second directfuel injection device may be positioned between an intake valve and anexhaust valve in the cylinder head. When the fuel injection devices arearranged in this way the fuel spray from the devices may interact withone another and the intake airflow to increase tumble and/or swirlairflow patterns in the intake airflow. Consequently, mixing of theair-fuel mixture may be further increased, thereby increasing combustionefficiency.

It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introducein simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described inthe detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essentialfeatures of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defineduniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description.Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited toimplementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any partof this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows, in cross section, a cylinder in an internalcombustion engine.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a vehicle, internal combustionengine, and fuel delivery system.

FIG. 3 shows a method for controlling a fuel delivery system.

FIG. 1 is shown approximately to scale, although other relativedimensions may be used, if desired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description relates to a direct-injection system in anapplied-ignition internal combustion engine and a method for operationof such a system. In one example, the engine may include at least onecylinder head with at least one cylinder, in which each cylinder has atleast one inlet opening for the supply of combustion air via an intakesystem and at least one outlet opening for the discharge of the exhaustgases via an exhaust-gas discharge system. Continuing with such anexample, each cylinder may include a combustion chamber which is jointlyformed by a piston crown of a cylinder-specific piston, by a cylinderliner which laterally delimits the combustion chamber, and by the atleast one cylinder head, the piston being movable along a pistonlongitudinal axis between a bottom dead center and a top dead center,and each cylinder is equipped, in a region of the cylinder liner, withan injection device for the direct injection of fuel into the combustionchamber, the injection device having at least one opening which, duringthe course of an injection process, can be activated for the purposes ofintroducing fuel into the combustion chamber.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine of said type isalso described herein. An internal combustion engine of the stated typemay be used as a motor vehicle drive unit. Within the context of thepresent description, the expression “internal combustion engine”encompasses applied-ignition Otto-cycle engines but alsoapplied-ignition hybrid internal combustion engines, that is to sayapplied-ignition internal combustion engines that are operated using ahybrid combustion process, and hybrid drives which may include not onlythe applied-ignition internal combustion engine but also an electricmachine which can be connected in terms of drive to the internalcombustion engine and which receives power from the internal combustionengine or which, as a switchable auxiliary drive, additionally outputspower.

Internal combustion engines may have a cylinder block and at least onecylinder head that are connected to one another to form the cylindersand the combustion chambers thereof. The cylinder block, as the uppercrankcase half, may serve for the mounting of the crankshaft and foraccommodating the piston and the cylinder sleeve of each cylinder. Thepiston may also, with the omission of a sleeve as an intermediateelement, be mounted and guided directly in a bore of the block. Asdescribed herein, both the cylinder sleeve and the bore may be subsumedunder the expression “cylinder liner”.

The cylinder head normally serves for accommodating the valve drivesneeded for the charge exchange. During the course of the chargeexchange, the discharge of the combustion gases via the exhaust-gasdischarge system may take place via the at least one outlet opening, andthe feed of the combustion air via the intake system may take place viathe at least one inlet opening of the cylinder.

In the case of four-stroke engines, lifting valves for the control ofthe charge exchange may be used (e.g., exclusively used) to controlintake and/or exhaust flow. The valve, including the associatedactuating mechanism, may be referred to as valve drive.

The crankshaft that is mounted in the crankcase may absorb theconnecting rod forces and transform the oscillating stroke movement ofthe pistons into a rotational movement of the crankshaft. The uppercrankcase half formed by the cylinder block may be regularlysupplemented by the oil pan, which can be mounted on the cylinder blockand which serves as the lower crankcase half.

In the development of internal combustion engines, it may be desirableto reduce (e.g., minimize) fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.

Fuel consumption may pose a problem in particular in the case ofOtto-cycle engines, that is to say in the case of applied-ignitioninternal combustion engines. The reason for this may lie in theoperating process of the traditional Otto-cycle engine. A traditionalOtto-cycle engine may operate with external mixture formation and ahomogeneous fuel-air mixture, in which the desired power is set byvarying the charge of the combustion chamber, that is to say by means ofquantity regulation. By adjusting a throttle flap that is provided inthe intake system, the pressure of the inducted air downstream of thethrottle flap may be reduced to a greater or lesser extent. For aconstant combustion chamber volume, it may be possible in this way forthe air mass, that is to say the quantity, to be set by means of thepressure of the inducted air, if desired. This also explains whyquantity regulation may be disadvantageous specifically in part-loadoperation, because low loads may need a high degree of throttling and alarge pressure reduction in the intake system, in one example, as aresult of which the charge exchange losses increase with decreasing loadand increasing throttling.

One approach for dethrottling the Otto-cycle working process may bedirect fuel injection. The injection of the fuel directly into thecombustion chamber of the cylinder may be a suitable measure fornoticeably reducing fuel consumption even in Otto-cycle engines. Thedethrottling of the internal combustion engine may be realized by virtueof fuel quantity regulation being used within certain limits.

With the direct injection of the fuel into the combustion chamber, itmay be possible to realize a stratified combustion chamber charge, whichcan contribute (e.g., significantly contribute) to the dethrottling ofthe Otto-cycle working process because the internal combustion enginecan be operated lean to a great extent by utilizing stratified chargeoperation, which offers thermodynamic advantages in particular inpart-load operation, that is to say in the lower and middle load range,when small amounts of fuel are to be injected into the combustionchamber.

Direct injection may be characterized by an inhomogeneous combustionchamber charge. Conversely, direct injection may not be characterized bya uniform air ratio. Therefore, direct injection may have both lean(λ>1) mixture parts and rich (λ<1) mixture parts. The inhomogeneity ofthe fuel-air mixture may also be a reason why the particle emissionsknown from the diesel engine process are likewise of relevance in thecase of the direct-injection Otto-cycle engine, whereas said emissionsmay be of reduced significance (e.g., almost no significance) in thecase of the traditional Otto-cycle engine, in some instances.

In some examples, there may be relatively little time available for theinjection of the fuel, for the mixture preparation in the combustionchamber, specifically the mixing of air and fuel and the preparation ofthe fuel within the context of preliminary reactions includingevaporation, and for the ignition of the prepared mixture. Therefore,demands on the mixture formation may be particularly high, in someinstances.

Since, in the case of direct injection, there may only be a little timeavailable for the mixture formation, there may be a need to assist andaccelerate the homogeneous formation of the air-fuel mixture before theinitiation of the applied ignition, at least as long as there is nodemand for stratified-charge operation. In this context, thedistribution of the fuel in the combustion chamber, and also theinjection of the fuel, may be of particular importance.

In the case of direct-injection Otto-cycle engines, formation of theair-fuel mixture may be conceptually divided into three distinctmethods.

In the case of the air-controlled method, it may be desirable toinfluence the mixture formation by means of a movement forcibly impartedby the inlet flow as the air is inducted into the combustion chamber. Itmay be sought in this way to achieve a good mixture of the inducted airwith the injected fuel, wherein it is the intention for a directimpingement of the injected fuel on the internal walls of the combustionchamber to be reduced (e.g., prevented) by means of the generated chargemovement or flow.

For example, the generation of a so-called tumble or swirling flow mayaccelerate and/or assist the mixture formation. A tumble is an airvortex about an imaginary axis which runs parallel to the longitudinalaxis, that is to say to the axis of rotation, of the crankshaft, bycontrast to a swirl, which constitutes an air vortex whose axis runsparallel to the piston longitudinal axis, that is to say the cylinderlongitudinal axis.

The arrangement and the geometry of the intake system, that is to say ofthe intake lines, may have an influence (e.g., significant influence) onthe charge movement and thus on the mixture formation in the combustionchamber. In some examples, the charge movement in the cylinder may beconcomitantly influenced by the combustion chamber geometry, inparticular by the geometry of the piston crown and/or of a pistondepression that is optionally provided in the piston crown.

Attempts have been made in direct-injection internal combustion engines,to use (e.g., exclusively use) piston depressions to promote air-fuelmixing. In some instances, the piston depressions may be rotationallysymmetrical with regard to the piston longitudinal axis and in somespecific cases, the piston may have an omega-shaped depression.

Owing to the constricted space conditions in the cylinder head, animprovement of the intake lines with regard to mixture formation andcharge exchange may not be possible (e.g., fully possible), in someinstances.

In the case of the wall-controlled method, the fuel may be injected intothe combustion chamber in such a way that the injection jet is purposelydirected toward a wall delimiting the combustion chamber. Specificallyin one example, the injection jet may be directed into a depressionprovided on the piston crown. Here, it is the intention for the fuel jetto be, because of the impingement, broken up into multiple jet parts anddiverted such that the fuel jets encompass a large area of thecombustion chamber. In particular, some of the injected fuel may bediverted into the vicinity of the ignition device in order to form anignitable mixture with the inducted air.

Whereas it may be the case in the air-controlled method that it may bedesirable to reduce (e.g., substantially inhibit) direct impingement ofthe injected fuel on the internal walls of combustion chamber. It may betaken into consideration in this context that the wetting of theinternal walls of the combustion chamber with fuel promotes oilthinning, and increases the untreated emissions of unburned hydrocarbonsand the particle emissions.

In the case of the jet-controlled method, the injected fuel is targetedin the direction of the ignition device, which may be achieved byorienting the injection jets, the injection device, and the ignitiondevice in a coordinated manner. For example, both the ignition deviceand the injection device may be centrally arranged in the cylinder headon the side facing the piston crown.

In another example, the fuel may be transported and distributedsubstantially owing to the impetus of the injection jet, such that themixture formation may be relatively independent of the combustionchamber geometry, which constitutes a significant advantage in relationto the two other methods. The jet-controlled method may be suitable inparticular for stratified operation of the internal combustion engine,because firstly, an ignitable mixture can be formed in a closelyconfined area around the ignition device, and secondly, a low fuelconcentration can be realized in large areas of the combustion chamber.

Some methods for air-fuel mixture formation exhibit both anair-controlled component and a jet-controlled component.

Additionally, some engines have arranged the injection device in thecylinder head on the side facing the piston crown. Depending on thepenetration depth of the injection jets, the injected fuel quantity andthe injection time, that is to say the position of the piston, a greateror lesser fraction of the fuel may impinge on the combustion chamberinternal walls (e.g., cylinder liner and piston crown) during theinjection and mixes with the oil film adhering thereto. The fueltherefore may pass together with the oil into the crankcase and thuscontributes to oil thinning. The wetting of the combustion chamberinternal walls with fuel furthermore has an adverse effect on theuntreated emissions of unburned hydrocarbons and on the particleemissions. The fuel injection system described herein seeks to reduce(e.g., prevent) wetting of the combustion chamber internal walls withinjected fuel.

The above statements make it clear that, in the case of direct-injectionapplied-ignition internal combustion engines, there is still a demandfor increased air-fuel mixing and a reduction in wall wetting.

It is an objective of the invention to provide an applied-ignition,direct-injection internal combustion engine, in the case of which themixture formation, in particular the homogenization of the fuel-airmixture, is increased and the wetting of the combustion chamber internalwalls with injected fuel is reduced (e.g., prevented).

It is a further sub-objective of the invention to provide to a methodfor operating an internal combustion engine of said type.

The first sub-objective may be achieved by means of a direct-injection,applied-ignition internal combustion engine having at least one cylinderhead including at least one cylinder, in which each cylinder has atleast one inlet opening for the supply of combustion air via an intakesystem and at least one outlet opening for the discharge of the exhaustgases via an exhaust-gas discharge system, each cylinder includes acombustion chamber which is jointly formed by a piston crown of acylinder-specific piston, by a cylinder liner which laterally delimitsthe combustion chamber, and by the at least one cylinder head, thepiston being movable along a piston longitudinal axis between a bottomdead center and a top dead center, each cylinder is equipped, in aregion of the cylinder liner, with an injection device for the directinjection of fuel into the combustion chamber, which injection devicehas at least one opening which, during the course of an injectionprocess, can be activated for the purposes of introducing fuel into thecombustion chamber, and each cylinder is equipped with an additionalinjection device which is arranged in the cylinder-specific cylinderhead, the injection device being oriented toward the additionalinjection device such that a virtual elongation of a longitudinal axisof the injection device forms an obtuse angle α with a virtualelongation of a longitudinal axis of the additional injection device ina projection perpendicular to the piston longitudinal axis.

In the case of the internal combustion engine described herein, eachcylinder may be equipped with at least two injection devices,specifically one injection device that is arranged in thecylinder-specific cylinder liner region, and an additional injectiondevice, that is arranged in the cylinder-specific cylinder head. Thisyields numerous advantages and/or technically advantageous effects.

Specifically in one example, the two injection devices may be orientedsuch that the virtual elongation of the longitudinal axis of theinjection device forms an obtuse angle α with the longitudinal axis ofthe additional injection device or the virtual elongation thereof, orthe longitudinal axis of the injection device forms an obtuse angle αwith the virtual elongation of the longitudinal axis of the additionalinjection device, wherein, in the context of the present description, anobtuse angle is an angle between 90° and 180°. In the context of thepresent description, the longitudinal axis may also be regarded as apart of the virtual elongation of the longitudinal axis.

In an example, the injection devices may be mutually oriented toward oneanother, specifically in such a way that at least some of the fuel jetsemerging from the two injection devices and entering the combustionchamber are directed toward one another and collide or interact with oneanother. The high impetuses of the fuel jets which may be directedtoward one another and collide with one another enable fine atomizationof the fuel and a rapid and widespread distribution of the fuel in thecombustion chamber, wherein the fuel mixes and interacts with thecombustion air situated in the combustion chamber. This increases inparticular the homogenization of the fuel-air mixture, but also assistsand accelerates the evaporation of the fuel particles or fuel dropletsand thus the mixture formation as a whole. Here, it will also be takeninto consideration that the fuel jets which are directed toward oneanother and collide with one another give rise to additional turbulencein the combustion chamber, that is to say considerably increase thedegree of turbulence in the combustion chamber. For instance, directingfuel injection jets towards one another from different injectors mayincrease the swirl and/or tumble of the air-fuel mixture in thecombustion chamber.

The accelerated distribution of the fuel in the combustion chamberutilizing the high impetuses of the fuel jets that are directed towardone another may be highly advantageous with regard to the fact that, inthe case of a direct injection, only a small amount of time may beavailable for the mixture formation. In this context, it will also betaken into consideration that the crank angle window in which injectioncan be performed may be particularly limited in the case of an injectionnozzle arranged in the region of the cylinder liner.

The rapid and extensive evaporation of the fuel particles likewise makesallowance for this fact, and furthermore reduces the likelihood (e.g.,prevents) of wetting the combustion chamber internal walls with liquidfuel. Along with the wetting of the combustion chamber internal walls,the disadvantageous effects associated therewith, in particular the oilthinning and increased emissions of unburned hydrocarbons and soot, arealso reduced (e.g., eliminated).

Each injection device may reduce the penetration depth of the injectionjets of the respective other injection device, whereby wetting of thecombustion chamber internal walls with fuel may be counteracted.

The piston-side region of the combustion chamber may not be disregarded,as is the case for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,301, in which theinjection nozzle arranged in the region of the cylinder liner isdirected toward the cylinder head and supplies fuel only to thecylinder-head-side region of the combustion chamber during the course ofthe injection process.

Further, in one example, an injection device and an additional injectiondevice may intermittently inject fuel simultaneously into a combustionchamber. However, it will be appreciated that the injection device andthe additional injection device may also be controlled independently ofone another (e.g., individually controlled). Thus, in stratified-chargeoperation, it may be possible by means of an injection device arrangedin the region of the cylinder liner for an ignitable fuel-air mixture tobe generated in the cylinder-head-side region close to the ignitiondevice before the initiation of the applied ignition.

With the internal combustion engine described herein, fuel-air mixingmay be increased with regard to homogeneity and wall wetting of thecombustion chamber internal walls with injected fuel is reduced (e.g.,prevented).

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the injection device is directedtoward the additional injection device such that the fuel jets emergingfrom the injection device are directed counter to the fuel jets emergingfrom the additional injection device. In general, the fuel jets emergingfrom an injection device may form a cone or a club-shaped fuel cloud.

Further advantageous examples of the internal combustion engine will beexplained herein. Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignitioninternal combustion engine may be advantageous in which the injectiondevice is inclined relative to the piston longitudinal axis in thedirection of the at least one cylinder head. In this way, the risk ofundesired wetting of the piston with fuel is further counteracted.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the additional injection device isarranged between the at least one inlet opening and the at least oneoutlet opening. If a cylinder has two or more inlet openings or outletopenings, a plane is laid through the inlet openings or outlet openings.Then, in the present example, the additional injection device may bearranged between said two planes.

In this context, examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignitioninternal combustion engine may be advantageous in which the additionalinjection device is arranged in the middle between the at least oneinlet opening and the at least one outlet opening, that is to saycentrally. The central arrangement of the additional injection devicemay, in individual cases, offer advantages with regard to the widespreaddistribution of the fuel in the combustion chamber and thehomogenization of the fuel-air mixture.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may however also be advantageous in which the additionalinjection device is arranged eccentrically, that is to say laterally, inthe cylinder head.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the following applies: angle α>120°,α>130° or α>140°. Angle α is discussed in greater detail herein withregard to FIG. 1.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be particularly advantageous in which the following applies:angle α>150° or α>160°. Examples of the direct-injection,applied-ignition internal combustion engine may be advantageous inparticular in which the following applies: angle α>170° or α≈180°.

As described herein, the greater the angle α, the more directly theinjection devices are oriented toward one another, and the morepronounced are the desired and intended effects upon the collision ofthe fuel jets or fuel clouds directed toward one another, specifically afine atomization and a rapid and widespread distribution of the fuel inthe combustion chamber for the purposes of homogenization of thefuel-air mixture with simultaneous evaporation of the fuel.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the at least one cylinder-specificinlet opening and/or the at least one cylinder-specific outlet openingare/is arranged in the cylinder-specific cylinder head.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which each cylinder has at least two inletopenings for the supply of combustion air.

It may be the objective of the valve drives to open and close the inletand outlet openings of the cylinders at the correct times, with a fastopening of a large (e.g., greatest possible) flow cross sections beingsought during the charge exchange in order to keep the throttling lossesin the inflowing and outflowing gas low and in order to enableimprovements in charging of the cylinder, and an effective discharge ofthe combustion gases. The cylinders of an internal combustion engine maytherefore be equipped with two or more inlet and outlet openingsrespectively.

For the above reasons, examples of the direct-injection,applied-ignition internal combustion engine may therefore also beadvantageous in which each cylinder has at least two outlet openings forthe discharge of the exhaust gases.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which each cylinder is equipped withanother injection device (e.g., port injection device) which is arrangedin the cylinder-specific intake system. By means of intake pipeinjection, it may be possible, for example in part-load operation of theinternal combustion engine, for fuel to be introduced into the intakesystem upstream of the inlet to a cylinder.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which each cylinder is equipped with anignition device for the purposes of initiating the applied ignition.

Here, examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be advantageous in which each cylinder is equippedwith an additional ignition device for the purposes of initiating theapplied ignition.

If the ignition is initiated at two spaced-apart positions of the twoignition devices, flames propagate in the combustion chamber from saidtwo positions, wherein the prepared fuel-air mixture situated in thecombustion chamber is encompassed by a flame more quickly than would beobserved, or would be the case, if a single ignition device were used.The fuel-air mixture burns through, as it were, more quickly, which mayresult in thermodynamic advantages.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the at least one cylinder head isprovided with at least one coolant jacket in order to form a liquid-typecooling arrangement.

The heat released during the combustion by the exothermic, chemicalconversion of the fuel is dissipated partially to the cylinder head andcylinder block via the walls that may delimit the combustion chamber.Heat from the chemical conversion of the fuel may also be partiallydissipated to the adjacent components and the environment via theexhaust-gas flow. To keep the thermal loading of the cylinder headwithin desired limits, a part of the heat flow introduced into thecylinder head may be extracted from the cylinder head again.

It may be possible for the cooling arrangement to take the form of anair-type cooling arrangement or a liquid-type cooling arrangement.Because of the significantly higher heat capacity of liquids in relationto air, it is possible for significantly greater quantities of heat tobe dissipated using a liquid-type cooling arrangement, for which reasoninternal combustion engines are generally equipped with a liquid-typecooling arrangement. In this context, it will be taken intoconsideration that the thermal load of the cylinder head is everincreasing, inter alia, because an increasing proportion of internalcombustion engines is supercharged—by means of exhaust-gas turbochargeror mechanical supercharger. On account of the ever more dense packagingin the engine bay and the increasing integration of parts and componentsinto the cylinder head, for example the integration of the exhaust-gasmanifold, the thermal loading of the cylinder head is increased, suchthat increased demands are placed on the cooling arrangement andmeasures are taken to reliably prevent thermal overloading of theinternal combustion engine. Efforts to use lighter materials forproducing the head, which are less resistant to thermal load,furthermore increase the demands on the cooling arrangement.

If the internal combustion engine has a liquid cooling arrangement, aplurality of coolant ducts or at least one coolant jacket may begenerally formed in the cylinder head, which coolant ducts or coolantjacket conduct(s) the coolant through the cylinder head; this may need ahighly complex cylinder head structure, in one example.

Examples may be advantageous in which a coolant jacket is integrated inthe at least one cylinder head, which coolant jacket has a lower coolantjacket, which is arranged between the exhaust-gas lines and the assemblysurface of the cylinder head, and an upper coolant jacket, which isarranged on that side of the exhaust-gas lines which is situatedopposite the lower coolant jacket.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the cylinder-specific piston is, forthe purposes of sealing off the combustion chamber, equipped with atleast one piston ring that is arranged in a piston skirt region thatlaterally delimits the piston.

In this context, examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignitioninternal combustion engine may be advantageous in which, when the pistonmay be situated at top dead center, the at least one piston ring may bepositioned between the injection device and top dead center.

A piston situated at top dead center then covers the injection devicearranged in the cylinder liner region, such that the injection device isexposed to the cylinder pressure in unprotected fashion only when apiston moving toward bottom dead center uncovers the injection device atthe combustion chamber side. The injection device is consequentlysubjected to lower pressures. This facilitates the sealing of theinjection device. The design of the seal is facilitated simply owing thefact that the region of the cylinder head is thermally less highlyloaded than, for example, the cylinder head.

In principle, an injection may be performed when the cylinder-specificpiston, on its path toward bottom dead center, has passed the injectiondevice and makes the combustion chamber accessible to the openings ofthe injection device.

Examples of the direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine may be advantageous in which the injection device is orientedtoward the at least one cylinder-specific inlet opening in such a waythat the fuel emerging from the injection device is directed counter tothe combustion air entering the combustion chamber via the inletopening.

In an example of the fuel injection system described herein, theinjection device arranged in the cylinder liner region may be directedtoward the cylinder-specific cylinder head and not however toward theoutlet—as described in the prior art, for example U.S. Pat. No.5,421,301—but rather toward the inlet of the cylinder, specificallytoward the at least one cylinder-specific inlet opening, such that thefuel introduced into the combustion chamber can interact with theoppositely directed combustion air flowing into the combustion chamber.

The airflow entering the combustion chamber may reduce the penetrationdepth of the injection jets of the injection device, whereby wetting ofthe combustion chamber internal walls with fuel may be furthercounteracted. Owing to the orientation of the injection device towardsthe cylinder head, it is the case in particular that wetting of thepiston may be reduced (e.g., prevented).

The orientation of the injection jets counter to the entering airflow isfurthermore intended to assist and accelerate the evaporation of thefuel particles and the widespread distribution of the fuel in thecombustion chamber and advance and thereby increase the homogenizationof the fuel-air mixture. By contrast to the concepts described in theprior art, it is the case that, utilizing the flow dynamics, both thecylinder-head-side region of the combustion chamber and the piston-sideregion of the combustion chamber are supplied with fuel.

If fuel passes into the intake system when the inlet opening is open,said fuel can serve for cleaning, and removing deposits from, the rearside of the associated inlet valve.

A method for operating the internal combustion engine is also describedherein. The method may include a process in which the fuel quantity thatis introduced into the combustion chamber during the course of oneworking cycle is made up of a fuel quantity m_(1,fuel) introduced bymeans of the injection device and a fuel quantity m_(2,fuel) introducedby means of the additional injection device, the ratiom_(1,fuel)/m_(2,fuel) being defined as a function of: the engine speedn_(mot) of the internal combustion engine, the load of the internalcombustion engine, the pressure of the combustion air in the intakesystem upstream of the at least one cylinder, and/or the speed of thecombustion air in the intake system upstream of the at least onecylinder.

That which has already been stated with regard to the internalcombustion engine also applies to the method described herein, for whichreason reference is generally made at this juncture to the statementsmade above with regard to the internal combustion engine.

In general, the opening of an injection device may be activated byvirtue of said opening being connected to a fuel supply system, and thusopened up, for the purposes of injecting fuel into the cylinder. Theinjection process is ended by virtue of the openings being separatedfrom the fuel supply system, that is to say deactivated. The activationand/or deactivation of the openings may also be performed with a timeoffset, in one example.

In some examples, the use of two injection devices may be particularlyadvantageous at operating points in which large fuel quantities areintroduced into the cylinder, that is to say at high loads. It ishowever also possible—as already mentioned—for each of the two injectiondevices to be utilized individually, such that, in predefinableoperating points, only one of the two injection devices is used for thepurposes of introducing fuel. The additional injection device hasproven—individually or in combination—to be particularly suitable if thepiston is at a certain distance from top dead center and large fuelquantities are to be injected.

Examples of the method may also be advantageous in which, at leastintermittently, fuel is injected simultaneously by means of theinjection device and by means of the additional injection device.

Examples of the method may be advantageous in which at least onecylinder-specific inlet opening is opened before fuel is introduced bymeans of the injection device or the additional injection device.

FIG. 1 schematically shows, an example engine 10 with a cylinder 1, incross section along a piston longitudinal axis 5 b. The pistonlongitudinal axis 5 b may lie on a central axis 12 of the cylinder 1. Avertical axis and a lateral axis are provided for reference in FIG. 1.The vertical axis may be parallel to a gravitational axis, in oneexample. However, other orientations of the vertical and lateral axeshave been contemplated.

The cylinder 1, illustrated in FIG. 1, has two outlet openings 8 for thedischarge of the exhaust gases via an exhaust-gas discharge system, eachoutlet opening 8 being adjoined by an exhaust-gas line 8 a, and eachoutlet opening 8 being equipped with an outlet valve 8 b for thepurposes of opening up or closing the outlet opening 8 during the courseof the charge exchange. Furthermore, the cylinder 1 has two inletopenings 7 for the supply of the combustion air via an intake system,each inlet opening 7 being adjoined by an intake line 7 a, and eachinlet opening 7 being equipped with an inlet valve 7 b for the purposesof opening up or closing the inlet opening 7 during the course of thecharge exchange.

Each cylinder 1 of the internal combustion engine 10 includes acombustion chamber 2 which is jointly formed by the piston crown 5 a ofa cylinder-specific piston 5, by a cylinder liner 4 in a cylinder block18 which laterally delimits the combustion chamber 2, and by thecylinder head 3. When the internal combustion engine is in operation,the piston 5 oscillates along the piston longitudinal axis 5 b between abottom dead center and a top dead center. A piston ring 14 is arrangedin a piston skirt 16 of the piston 5. The piston ring 14 laterallydelimits the piston 5 and seals off the combustion chamber 2.

Each cylinder 1 of the internal combustion engine is equipped, in theregion of the cylinder liner 4, with an injection device 6 for thedirect introduction of fuel into the combustion chamber 2. In thepresent case, an injection nozzle 6 a serves as injection device 6(e.g., direct fuel injection device), which injection nozzle is inclinedrelative to the piston longitudinal axis 5 b and has multiple openingswhich, during the course of an injection process, are activated, that isto say opened up, for the purposes of introducing fuel into thecombustion chamber 2. To end the injection process, the openings of theinjection nozzle 6 a are fluidly disconnected from the fuel supplysystem.

The injection nozzle 6 a is directed toward a cylinder-specific inletopening 7, specifically such that the fuel jets 6 b emerging from theinjection nozzle 6 a are directed counter to the combustion air enteringthe combustion chamber 2 via the inlet opening 7.

Furthermore, each cylinder 1 is equipped with an additional injectiondevice 9 that may be arranged in a vertically standing manner in thecylinder-specific cylinder head 3 to be situated opposite the piston 5.In the present case, as additional injection device 9, use is again madeof injection nozzle 9 a, which is positioned in the middle between theinlet openings 7 and the outlet openings 8. Specifically, a longitudinalaxis 9 c (e.g., central axis) of the injection device 9 is parallel to alongitudinal axis 5 b (e.g., central axis) of the piston 5. However, theadditional injection device 9 may be arranged at other angles withregard to the piston 5, in other examples. For instance, thelongitudinal axis 9 c may be arranged at an angle between ±10° withregard to the longitudinal axis 5 b of the piston 5.

The injection device 6 is directed toward the additional injectiondevice 9, specifically in such a way that the virtual elongation of thelongitudinal axis 6 c of the injection device 6 forms an obtuse angleα≈120° with the virtual elongation of the longitudinal axis 9 c of theadditional injection device 9 in a projection perpendicular to thepiston longitudinal axis 5 b, that is to say in the plane of thedrawing. However, in other examples, the obtuse angle obtuse angle maybe in the following range, 120°≤α≤180°.

The injection jets 6 b, 9 b of the injection devices 6, 9 are likewiseillustrated in the projection perpendicular to the piston longitudinalaxis 5 b.

The fuel jets 6 b, 9 b or fuel clouds generated by means of the twoinjection devices 6, 9 collide or interact with one another. Owing tothe high impetuses of the fuel jets 6 b, 9 b that collide with oneanother, the fuel is atomized and is distributed in widespread fashionin the combustion chamber 2, whereby good mixing with the air situatedin the combustion chamber 2, and thus increased homogenization of thefuel-air mixture, is realized. The collision of the fuel jets 6 b, 9 bmay give rise to additional turbulence in the combustion chamber 2. Theevaporation of the fuel is also advantageously assisted and acceleratedby the collision of the injection jets 6 b, 9 b. Wetting of thecombustion chamber internal walls with liquid fuel may also be reduced(e.g., prevented) due to the interaction between the fuel jets.

The injection device 6 and the additional injection device 9 may beincluded in a fuel delivery system 20, described in detail herein. Inone example, a fuel tank and a fuel pump included in the fuel deliverysystem 20 may be configured to provide pressurized fuel to the injectiondevice 6 and the additional injection device 9.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a vehicle 200 including aninternal combustion engine 202. It will be appreciated that the internalcombustion engine 202 is an example of internal combustion engine 10,shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the engine 202 may include similarcomponents and features to those described with regard to FIG. 1.Specifically, the relative arrangement of the injection devicesdescribed with regard to FIG. 1 may also apply to the injection devicesdescribed with regard to FIG. 2. Furthermore, a controller 280 shown inFIG. 2 may also be included in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows an intake system 204 providing intake air to the cylinder206. The intake system 204 includes an intake conduit 208 having anelectronic throttle 210 positioned therein. A throttle plate 212 in theelectronic throttle 210 may be adjusted to vary the amount of airflowtraveling through the intake system 204 and entering the cylinder 206via an intake manifold 214 and intake valves 215.

The cylinder 206 is formed via a cylinder block 216 and a cylinder head218. Furthermore, the cylinder includes a combustion chamber 220 and apiston 222 disposed therein. Additionally, the piston 222 providesrotational energy to a crankshaft 224. In turn, the crankshaft 224 maybe connected to the drive wheels 226 via a transmission (not shown). Thedrive wheels 226 are positioned on a road surface 228. An engineposition sensor 230 is coupled to the crankshaft 224 and configured togenerate an engine position signal that may be used to ascertain enginespeed.

The vehicle 200 may also include an electric motor 232. Therefore, insuch an example the vehicle 200 may be referred to as a hybrid vehicle.Different hybrid vehicle configurations have been contemplated such asparallel hybrid configurations, series hybrid configurations, mildhybrid configurations, etc. In such an example, both the electric motor232 and/or the engine 202 may provide motive power to the drive wheels226 on the road surface 228. However, in a non-hybrid configuration theengine 202 may only provide motive power to drive wheels 226.

An exhaust system 234 is also shown in the vehicle 200. The exhaustsystem 234 includes exhaust valves 236 coupled to cylinder 206. Theexhaust valves 236 open and close to allow and inhibit exhaust gas flowfrom the cylinder into an exhaust manifold 238. An emission controldevice 240 is positioned in an exhaust conduit 242 downstream of theexhaust manifold 238. The emission control device 240 may includecatalysts, filters, and/or other suitable components for reducingtailpipe emissions.

A fuel delivery system 244 is also provided in the engine 202. The fueldelivery system 244 includes a fuel tank 246 and fuel pump 248. A firstdirect fuel injection device 250 in the fuel delivery system 244receives pressurized fuel from the fuel pump 248 via fuel line 251. Itwill be appreciated that fuel line 251 may include a fuel rail thatprovides a pressurized fuel reservoir to the fuel injection devices inthe fuel delivery system. A second direct fuel injection device 252 inthe fuel delivery system 244 also receives pressurized fuel from thefuel pump 248. As discussed above with regard to FIG. 1, the firstdirect fuel injection device 250 may be positioned on an exhaust side256 of the combustion chamber 220 opposing an intake side 258 of thecombustion chamber. As discussed above with regard to FIG. 1, the firstdirect fuel injection device 250 may extend through a cylinder liner andmay be oriented such that fuel spray is direct at the intake valves 215.

The second direct fuel injection device 252 is shown positioned in thecylinder head 218 between the intake valves 215 and the exhaust valves236. However, in other examples the second direct fuel injection device252 may be positioned in the cylinder head 218 between the intake valves215, between the exhaust valves 236, or in other suitable locations.

The fuel delivery system 244 may further include a fuel rail 253connected to the first direct fuel injection device 250 and a fuel rail255 connected to the second fuel injection device 252. The fuel railsmay provide a pressurized fuel reservoir to each of the fuel injectors.Valves may be provide in and/or upstream of the fuel rails to enablefuel rail pressure regulation. Pressure in each of the fuel rails 253and 255 may be independently regulated based on engine operatingconditions, in one example. The regulation of the fuel rail pressure isdescribed in greater detail herein.

A port fuel injection device 260 coupled to the intake conduit 208 mayalso be included in the fuel delivery system 244, in some examples. Theport fuel injection device 260 is configured to deliver fuel into theintake system 204 upstream of the intake valves 215. However, in otherexamples the port fuel injection device 260 may be omitted from the fueldelivery system 244. The fuel injection devices deliver liquid fuel inproportion to a voltage pulse width or fuel injector pulse width of asignal from controller 280. Furthermore, the fuel delivery system 244may include additional components that are not illustrated such as asecond pump (e.g., high pressure pump), valves, a fuel rail, etc., forproviding fuel within a desired pressure range to the fuel injectors.

A cooling system 262 is also provided in the engine 202. The coolingsystem 262 includes a cooling jacket 264 routing coolant through thecylinder head 218. Specifically in one example, the cooling jacket 264may include passages that at least partially surround the exhaustmanifold 238 and/or exhaust runners in the exhaust system 234. A heatexchanger 266 is also provided in the cooling system 262 to enable heatto be extracted from the coolant. Additionally, a coolant pump 268 isalso included in the cooling system 262 to drive coolant circulationthrough the cooling jacket. Additionally, the cylinder block 216 mayalso include a coolant jacket, in some examples.

Distributorless ignition system 270 provides an ignition spark to thecombustion chamber 220 via spark plugs 272 in response command signalsfrom the controller 280. As shown, one of the spark plugs 272 ispositioned between the intake valves 215 and the exhaust valves 236 andis adjacent to the second direct fuel injection device 252.Additionally, one of the spark plugs 272 is positioned on the intakeside 258 of the combustion chamber 220. Furthermore, each of the sparkplugs 272 may be positioned in the cylinder head 218. It will beappreciated that in other examples the ignition system 270 may includeone of the spark plugs 272.

Additionally, a mass airflow sensor 271 is also coupled to the intakeconduit 208 and configured to determine the airflow in the intakeconduit and generate an airflow signal. A pressure sensor 273 is alsocoupled to the intake manifold 214 configured to determine a manifoldair pressure and generate a MAP signal. The manifold air pressure may beused to determine engine load, in one example. Furthermore, atemperature sensor 274 may also be coupled to the engine 202. Thetemperature sensor is configured to determine engine temperature andgenerate an engine temperature signal.

An exhaust gas sensor 275 (Universal Exhaust Gas Oxygen (UEGO)) is showncoupled to exhaust manifold 238 upstream of the emission control device240. Additionally or alternatively, a two-state exhaust gas oxygensensor may be coupled to the exhaust manifold 238. A temperature sensor276 may also be coupled to the exhaust conduit 277. The temperaturesensor 276 may be configured to determine the temperature of the exhaustgas in the exhaust system 234.

Controller 280 is shown in FIG. 2 as a conventional microcomputerincluding: microprocessor unit 282, input/output ports 284, read-onlymemory 286 (e.g., non-transitory memory), random access memory 288, keepalive memory 290, and a conventional data bus. Controller 280 is shownreceiving various signals from sensors coupled to engine 202 including:engine coolant temperature (ECT) from temperature sensor 274; a positionsensor 292 coupled to an accelerator pedal 294 for sensing force appliedby foot 296; a measurement of engine manifold pressure (MAP) frompressure sensor 273 coupled to intake manifold 214; an engine positionfrom the engine position sensor 230 (e.g., Hall effect sensor) sensingcrankshaft 224 position/speed; a measurement of air mass entering theengine from sensor 271; and a measurement of throttle position fromsensor 278. In one example, the engine position sensor 230 may produce apredetermined number of equally spaced pulses every revolution of thecrankshaft from which engine speed (RPM) can be determined. Thecontroller 280 may also be configured to control adjustment of variousengine components such as the electronic throttle 210, the first directfuel injection device 250, the second direct fuel injection device 252,the port fuel injection device 260, and/or the coolant pump 268. Forinstance, the controller 280 may send a command signal to the firstdirect fuel injection device 250 to adjust the fuel pulse width of thedevice. Responsive to receiving the command signal an actuator (e.g.,solenoid) in the first direct fuel injection device 250 may be operatedaccording to the adjusted fuel pulse width. It will be appreciated thatother engine components may also include actuators and may be controlledin this way.

During operation, each cylinder within engine 202 typically undergoes afour stroke cycle: the cycle includes the intake stroke, compressionstroke, expansion stroke, and exhaust stroke. During the intake stroke,generally, the exhaust valves 236 close and intake valves 215 open. Airis introduced into combustion chamber 220 via intake manifold 214, andpiston 222 moves to the bottom of the cylinder to increase the volumewithin combustion chamber 220. The position at which piston 222 is nearthe bottom of the cylinder and at the end of its stroke (e.g., whencombustion chamber 220 is at its largest volume) is typically referredto by those of skill in the art as bottom dead center (BDC). During thecompression stroke, intake valves 215 and exhaust valves 236 are closed.Piston 222 moves toward the cylinder head to compress the air withincombustion chamber 220. The point at which piston 222 is at the end ofits stroke and closest to the cylinder head (e.g., when combustionchamber 220 is at its smallest volume) is typically referred to by thoseof skill in the art as top dead center (TDC). In a process hereinafterreferred to as injection, fuel is introduced into the combustionchamber. In a process hereinafter referred to as ignition, the injectedfuel is ignited by known ignition means such as spark plugs 272,resulting in combustion. During the expansion stroke, the expandinggases push piston 222 back to BDC. Crankshaft 224 converts pistonmovement into a rotational torque of the rotary shaft. Finally, duringthe exhaust stroke, the exhaust valves 236 open to release the combustedair-fuel mixture to exhaust manifold 238 and the piston returns to TDC.Note that the above is shown merely as an example, and that intake andexhaust valve opening and/or closing timings may vary, such as toprovide positive or negative valve overlap, late intake valve closing,or various other examples.

FIG. 3 shows method 300 for operating a fuel delivery system.Specifically, the method 300 depicts a technique for injecting fuel intoa combustion chamber. The method 300 may be implemented by the internalcombustion engine, fuel delivery system, components, etc., describedabove with regard to FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, the method may bestored as instructions in non-transitory memory executable by aprocessor, in one example. Moreover, it will be appreciated that theinstructions described in the method 300 may trigger actuators in theengine, fuel delivery system, injection components, etc., to provide thedesired function.

At 302, the method includes determining engine operating conditions. Theengine operating conditions may include engine speed n_(mot) of theinternal combustion engine, load of the internal combustion engine,pressure of the combustion air in the intake system upstream of thecylinder, speed of the combustion air in the intake system upstream ofthe cylinder, engine temperature, exhaust gas pressure, exhaust gasflowrate, etc.

Next at 304, the method includes determining fuel injection quantityand/or timing for a first direct fuel injection device. In one example,the first direct fuel injection device may extend through a cylinderliner on an exhaust side of the cylinder such that fuel spray from thefirst direct fuel injection device is directed towards an intake valve.However, other positions of the first direct fuel injection device havebeen contemplated.

At 306, the method includes determining a fuel injection quantity and/ortiming for a second direct fuel injection device. In one example, thesecond direct fuel injection device may extend through the cylinder headat a location between an intake valve and an exhaust valve. However,other locations of the second direct fuel injection device may be used,in other examples. Furthermore, the central axes of the first and seconddirect fuel injection devices may be arranged at an obtuse angle toenable the sprays from the devices to interact with one another topromote mixing of the combustion charge. A determined fuel quantitym_(1,fuel) corresponding to the first direct fuel injection device and adetermined fuel quantity m_(2,fuel) corresponding to the second directfuel injection device may form a ratio m_(1,fuel)/m_(2,fuel) that may bedefined as a function of at least one of engine speed n_(mot) of theinternal combustion engine, load of the internal combustion engine,pressure of the combustion air in the intake system upstream of the atleast one cylinder, and speed of the combustion air in the intake systemupstream of the at least one cylinder. Furthermore, it will beappreciated that the quantities and timing of fuel injection from thefirst and second direct fuel injection device determined at steps 304and 306 may apply to a single combustion cycle.

At 308, the method includes injecting fuel into the combustion chambervia the first direct fuel injection device with the determined fuelquantity and timing. At 310, the method includes injecting fuel into thecombustion chamber via the second direct fuel injection device with thedetermined fuel quantity and timing. It will be appreciated that steps308 and 310 may take place during a single combustion cycle (e.g.,during an intake stroke). For instance, initially fuel from the seconddirect fuel injection device, positioned in the cylinder head, may besprayed into the combustion chamber while the piston is moving downwardaway from top dead center. When the piston travels below the firstdirect fuel injection device, positioned in the cylinder liner, fuelspray from the device may be initiated. Continuing with such an example,after initiating of fuel injection from the first direct fuel injectiondevice fuel injection from the second direct fuel injection device maybe sustained such that the injections occur at overlapping timeintervals. In one instance, the amount of fuel injected from the seconddirect fuel injection device may be decreased when fuel injection in thefirst direct fuel injection device is initiated. However, in otherinstances, the amount of fuel injected from the second direct fuelinjection device may be decreased or stopped when fuel injection fromthe first direct fuel injection device is initiated. Further in oneexample, fuel injected from the first and second direct fuel injectiondevices may be coordinated such that fuel is simultaneously sprayed fromeach device at substantially equivalent time intervals during an intakestroke. However, other injection control schemes have been contemplated,such as control techniques where fuel from the second direct fuelinjection device is increased when fuel injection from the first directfuel injection device is initiated.

At 312, the method includes determining if there is a change in engineoperating conditions. For instance, an increase or decrease in enginespeed and/or load may be identified. In another example, an increase ordecrease in engine and/or exhaust gas temperature may be identified.

If it is determined that there is not a change in engine operatingconditions (NO at 312) the method proceeds to 314. At 314, the methodincludes maintaining operation of the first and second direct fuelinjection devices with the previously determined quantities and timing.After 314, the method returns to 312. Maintaining operation of the firstand second direct fuel injection devices may include maintainingoperation of the first and second fuel injection devices within apreviously determined quantity and timing range, in one example. Inother examples, the first and second fuel injection devices may beoperated with previously ascertained quantity and/or timing set points(e.g., pulse width), ratios, etc.

However, if it is determined that there is a change in engine operatingconditions (YES at 312) the method advances to 316. At 316, the methodincludes adjusting the quantity and/or timing of fuel injected from thefirst and/or second direct fuel injection device. In one example, suchas when engine load is increased, the pulse width of the first directfuel injection device may be increased while the pulse width of thesecond direct fuel injection device remains substantially unchanged. Inanother example, the pulse width of the first direct fuel injectiondevice may be increased while the pulse width of the second direct fuelinjection device is decreased or vice versa. Additionally in oneexample, when the intake valve timing is retarded the timing of thefirst direct fuel injection device and/or the second direct fuelinjection device may be delayed or vice versa. Further, in one example,the timing of the fuel injected from the first direct fuel injectiondevice may be delayed when spark is retarded in the engine.

In one example, the method may include, at 318, adjusting a pressure ofa first fuel rail coupled to the first direct fuel injection device tobe at a different pressure than a second fuel rail coupled to the seconddirect fuel injection device, the rail pressures adjusted responsive toengine speed and load. In this way, rail pressure may be independentlyregulated for each of the direct fuel injectors. Further, it will beappreciated that in one example step 318 may occur prior to or duringstep 316. In one example, the pressure in the fuel rail connected to thesecond direct fuel injection device may be set higher than the pressurein the fuel rail connected to the first direct fuel injection device. Itwill be appreciated that the pressure of the fuel provided to the seconddirect fuel injector may be higher due to the fact that the injector isexposed to a higher pressure when positioned in the cylinder head whencompared to the first direct fuel injector positioned in the cylinderblock. Further, in one example, pressure in the fuel rail coupled to thefirst direct fuel injection device may be increased responsive to anincrease in engine load and/or speed. Continuing with such an example,pressure in the fuel rail coupled to the second direct fuel injectiondevice may be decreased responsive to an increase in engine load and/orspeed. Therefore, in some instance the pressure in the fuel railconnected to the first direct fuel injection device may be higher thanthe pressure in the fuel rail connected to the second direct fuelinjection device when the engine speed and/or load increases past athreshold value. Conversely, in another example, pressure in the fuelrail coupled to the first direct fuel injection device may be decreasedresponsive to a decrease in engine load and/or speed and pressure in thefuel rail coupled to the second direct fuel injector may be increased.In another example, pressure in both of the fuel rails may becorrespondingly increased or decreased responsive to an increase ordecrease in engine speed and/or load.

Further in one example, when the engine load is below a threshold valuefuel may be injected from only the second direct fuel injection deviceinto the combustion chamber. Conversely, when the engine load is abovethe threshold value fuel may be injected from both the first and secondfuel injection devices into the combustion chamber at overlapping timeintervals during one combustion cycle. Injecting fuel in this wayenables an increase in mixing of the air-fuel mixture and a decrease inwall wetting in the cylinder during high load conditions.

In yet another example, when the engine load is above a threshold valueand both the fuel injectors are slated to inject fuel during a singlecombustion cycle, fuel rail pressure may be increased via an increase inthe output of a fuel pump (e.g., high pressure fuel pump). In this way,a desired amount of fuel pressure can be provided to both of the directfuel injectors. Conversely, when the engine load is below the thresholdvalue, fuel rail pressure may be decreased.

In another example, fuel injection timing of the second direct fuelinjection device may be delayed or advanced when injection from thefirst fuel injection device is resumed in response to an increase ordecrease in engine load, engine speed, etc.

The invention will further be described in the following paragraphs. Inone aspect, a direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine is provided. The direct-injection, applied-ignition internalcombustion engine comprises: at least one cylinder head including atleast one cylinder; where each cylinder has at least one inlet openingfor the supply of combustion air via an intake system and at least oneoutlet opening for the discharge of exhaust gases via an exhaust-gasdischarge system; where each cylinder comprises a combustion chamberwhich is jointly formed by a piston crown of a cylinder-specific piston,by a cylinder liner which laterally delimits the combustion chamber, andby the at least one cylinder head, the cylinder-specific piston beingmovable along a piston longitudinal axis between a bottom dead centerand a top dead center; where each cylinder is equipped, in a region ofthe cylinder liner, with an injection device for the direct injection offuel into the combustion chamber, which injection device has at leastone opening which, during the course of an injection process, can beactivated for the purposes of introducing fuel into the combustionchamber; and where each cylinder is equipped with an additionalinjection device which is arranged in the at least one cylinder head,the injection device being oriented toward the additional injectiondevice such that a virtual elongation of a longitudinal axis of theinjection device forms an obtuse angle α with a virtual elongation of alongitudinal axis of the additional injection device in a projectionperpendicular to the piston longitudinal axis.

In another aspect, a method for operating a direct-injection,applied-ignition internal combustion engine is provided. The methodcomprises: injecting a fuel quantity m_(1,fuel) into the combustionchamber using an injection device during the course of one workingcycle; injecting a fuel quantity m_(2,fuel) into the combustion chamberusing an additional injection device during the course of the oneworking cycle; wherein a ratio m_(1,fuel)/m_(2,fuel) is defined as afunction of at least one of engine speed n_(mot) of the internalcombustion engine, load of the internal combustion engine, pressure ofthe combustion air in the intake system upstream of the at least onecylinder, and speed of the combustion air in the intake system upstreamof the at least one cylinder.

In another aspect, a method for operating a fuel injection system isprovided. The method comprises: injecting fuel from a first direct fuelinjection device into a combustion chamber; and injecting fuel from asecond direct fuel injection device into the combustion chamber, thesecond direct fuel injection device and the first direct fuel injectiondevice arranged at an obtuse angle with regard to an intersection ofcentral axes of the first and second direct fuel injection devices.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the injectiondevice may be inclined relative to the piston longitudinal axis in thedirection of the at least one cylinder head.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the additionalinjection device may be arranged between the at least one inlet openingand the at least one outlet opening.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the angle α isbetween 120 and 180 degrees.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the at least onecylinder may have at least two inlet openings for the supply ofcombustion air to the combustion chamber.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the at least onecylinder may have at least two outlet openings for the discharge of theexhaust gases from the combustion chamber.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, each cylinder maybe equipped with a port injection device that is arranged in an intakesystem.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the at least onecylinder may be equipped with an ignition device initiating the appliedignition.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, each cylinder maybe equipped with an additional ignition device initiating the appliedignition.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, thecylinder-specific piston may be equipped with at least one piston ringthat is arranged in a piston skirt region that laterally delimits thecylinder-specific piston and seals off the combustion chamber.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, when thecylinder-specific piston is situated at top dead center, the at leastone piston ring may be positioned between the injection device and topdead center.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the injectiondevice may be oriented toward the at least one cylinder-specific inletopening in such a way that the fuel emerging from the injection deviceis directed counter to the combustion air entering the combustionchamber via the inlet opening.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, fuel may beinjected simultaneously from the injection device and the additionalinjection device into the combustion chamber.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the method mayfurther comprise adjusting at least one of a timing and quantity of fuelinjected from each of the first direct fuel injection device and thesecond direct fuel injection device based on a change in engineoperating conditions.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, adjusting at leastone of the timing and quantity of fuel injected from each of the firstdirect fuel injection device and the second direct fuel injection devicebased on a change in engine operating conditions may include increasingan amount of fuel injected from the first direct fuel injection devicewhile decreasing an amount of fuel injected from the second direct fuelinjection device.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the first fuelinjection device may be positioned vertically above the second directfuel injection device with regard to a central axis of the combustionchamber.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the first directfuel injection device may be positioned on an exhaust side of thecombustion chamber and the second direct fuel injection device may bepositioned between an intake valve and an exhaust valve.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, fuel may beinjected from each of the first direct fuel injection device and thesecond direct fuel director at overlapping time intervals and the methodmay further comprise adjusting a pressure of a first fuel rail coupledto the first direct fuel injection device to be at a different pressurethan a second fuel rail coupled to the second direct fuel injectiondevice, the rail pressures adjusted responsive to engine speed and load.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the additionalinjection device may be arranged in the middle between the at least oneinlet opening and the at least one outlet opening.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the obtuse angle αformed between the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be >120°.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the obtuse angle αformed between the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be >130°.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the obtuse angle αformed between the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be >140°.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the obtuse angle αformed between the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be >150°.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the obtuse angle αformed between the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be >160°.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the obtuse angle αformed between the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be >170°.

In any of the aspects or combinations of the aspects, the angle α formedbetween the injection devices in the applied-ignition internalcombustion engine may be ≈180°.

FIGS. 1-2 show example configurations with relative positioning of thevarious components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directlycoupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting ordirectly coupled, respectively, at least in one example. Similarly,elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguousor adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one example. As anexample, components laying in face-sharing contact with each other maybe referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elementspositioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and noother components may be referred to as such, in at least one example. Asyet another example, elements shown above/below one another, at oppositesides to one another, or to the left/right of one another may bereferred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in thefigures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a“top” of the component and a bottommost element or point of the elementmay be referred to as a “bottom” of the component, in at least oneexample. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below, may berelative to a vertical axis of the figures and used to describepositioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such,elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above theother elements, in one example. As yet another example, shapes of theelements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having thoseshapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded,chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersectingone another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersectingone another, in at least one example. Further still, an element shownwithin another element or shown outside of another element may bereferred as such, in one example.

Note that the example control and estimation routines included hereincan be used with various engine and/or vehicle system configurations.The control methods and routines disclosed herein may be stored asexecutable instructions in non-transitory memory and may be carried outby the control system including the controller in combination with thevarious sensors, actuators, and other engine hardware. The specificroutines described herein may represent one or more of any number ofprocessing strategies such as event-driven, interrupt-driven,multi-tasking, multi-threading, and the like. As such, various actions,operations, and/or functions illustrated may be performed in thesequence illustrated, in parallel, or in some cases omitted. Likewise,the order of processing is not necessarily required to achieve thefeatures and advantages of the example embodiments described herein, butis provided for ease of illustration and description. One or more of theillustrated actions, operations and/or functions may be repeatedlyperformed depending on the particular strategy being used. Further, thedescribed actions, operations and/or functions may graphically representcode to be programmed into non-transitory memory of the computerreadable storage medium in the engine control system, where thedescribed actions are carried out by executing the instructions in asystem including the various engine hardware components in combinationwith the electronic controller.

It will be appreciated that the configurations and routines disclosedherein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments arenot to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variationsare possible. For example, the above technology can be applied to V-6,I-4, I-6, V-12, opposed 4, and other engine types. The subject matter ofthe present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinationsand sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations, andother features, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein.

The following claims particularly point out certain combinations andsub-combinations regarded as novel and non-obvious. These claims mayrefer to “an” element or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof.Such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or moresuch elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more suchelements. Other combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosedfeatures, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed throughamendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims inthis or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower,equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also are regardedas included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.

1. A direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion enginecomprising: at least one cylinder head including a cylinder; where thecylinder has at least one inlet opening for the supply of combustion airvia an intake system and at least one outlet opening for the dischargeof exhaust gases via an exhaust-gas discharge system; where the cylindercomprises a combustion chamber which is jointly formed by a piston crownof a piston, by a cylinder liner which laterally delimits the combustionchamber, and by a cylinder head, the piston being movable along a pistonlongitudinal axis between a bottom dead center and a top dead center;where the cylinder is equipped, in a region of the cylinder liner, withan injection device for the direct injection of fuel into the combustionchamber, which injection device has at least one opening which, duringthe course of an injection process, can be activated for the purposes ofintroducing fuel into the combustion chamber; and where the cylinder isequipped with an additional injection device which is arranged in thecylinder head, the injection device being oriented toward the additionalinjection device such that a virtual elongation of a longitudinal axisof the injection device forms an obtuse angle α with a virtualelongation of a longitudinal axis of the additional injection device ina projection perpendicular to the piston longitudinal axis.
 2. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, wherein the injection device is inclined relative to the pistonlongitudinal axis in the direction of the at least one cylinder head. 3.The direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine ofclaim 1, wherein the additional injection device is arranged between theat least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening.
 4. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, where the angle α is between 120 and 180 degrees.
 5. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, wherein the at least one cylinder has at least two inlet openings forthe supply of combustion air to the combustion chamber.
 6. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, wherein the at least one cylinder has at least two outlet openingsfor the discharge of the exhaust gases from the combustion chamber. 7.The direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine ofclaim 1, wherein each cylinder is equipped with a port injection devicethat is arranged in an intake system.
 8. The direct-injection,applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the atleast one cylinder is equipped with an ignition device initiating theapplied ignition.
 9. The direct-injection, applied-ignition internalcombustion engine of claim 1, wherein each cylinder is equipped with anadditional ignition device initiating the applied ignition.
 10. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, wherein the cylinder-specific piston is equipped with at least onepiston ring which is arranged in a piston skirt region which laterallydelimits the cylinder-specific piston and seals off the combustionchamber.
 11. The direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine of claim 10, wherein, when the cylinder-specific piston issituated at top dead center, the at least one piston ring is positionedbetween the injection device and top dead center.
 12. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, wherein the injection device is oriented toward the at least onecylinder-specific inlet opening in such a way that the fuel emergingfrom the injection device is directed counter to the combustion airentering the combustion chamber via the inlet opening.
 13. A method foroperating a direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine comprising: injecting a fuel quantity m_(1,fuel) into acombustion chamber using a direct injection device in a cylinder headduring a course of one working cycle during an intake stroke of theworking cycle and while a piston is moving downward away from top deadcenter; injecting a fuel quantity m_(1,fuel) into the combustion chamberusing an additional direct injection device during the course of the oneworking cycle during the intake stroke, where while the piston of acylinder is still moving downward away from top dead center, when thepiston travels below the additional direct injection device, positionedin a cylinder liner, fuel spray from the additional direct injectiondevice is initiated, wherein the piston is equipped with at least onepiston ring which is arranged in a piston skirt region which laterallydelimits the piston and seals off the combustion chamber, wherein, whenthe cylinder-specific piston is situated at top dead center, the atleast one piston ring is positioned between the direct injection deviceand top dead center; wherein a ratio m_(1,fuel)/m_(2,fuel) is defined asa function of at least one of engine speed n_(mot) of the internalcombustion engine, load of the internal combustion engine, pressure ofcombustion air in an intake system upstream of at least one cylinder,and speed of the combustion air in the intake system upstream of the atleast one cylinder.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein, fuel isinjected simultaneously from the injection device and the additionalinjection device into the combustion chamber. 15-20. (canceled)
 21. Thedirect-injection, applied-ignition internal combustion engine of claim1, further comprising a controller and executable instructions stored innon-transitory memory of the controller that cause the controller toinject fuel to the cylinder from the additional injection devicearranged in the cylinder head into the cylinder while the piston crownis moving away from top dead center, and then while the piston crown isstill moving away from top dead center beginning to inject fuel into thecylinder via the injection device when the piston crown travels belowthe injection device.
 22. The direct-injection, applied-ignitioninternal combustion engine of claim 21, wherein the piston is equippedwith at least one piston ring which is arranged in a piston skirt regionwhich laterally delimits the piston and seals off the combustionchamber.
 23. The direct-injection, applied-ignition internal combustionengine of claim 22, wherein when the piston is situated at top deadcenter, the at least one piston ring is positioned between the injectiondevice and top dead center.
 24. The direct-injection, applied-ignitioninternal combustion engine of claim 21, further comprising additionalinstructions to define a ratio of injected fuel from the injectiondevice and the additional injection device as a function of at least oneof engine speed and engine load.